Page:The year's at the spring.djvu/169

 THE • YEAR'S • AT • THE • SPRING

And with the fall

Of darkness, see! the red,

Bright anger of the signal, where it flares

Like a huge eye that stares

On some hid danger in the dark ahead.

A twang of wire—unseen

The signal drops; and now, instead

Of a red eye, a green.

Out of the silence grows

An iron thunder—grows, and roars, and sweeps,

Menacing! The plain

Suddenly leaps,

Startled, from its repose—

Alert and listening. Now, from the gloom

Of the soft distance, loom

Three lights and, over them, a brush

Of tawny flame and flying spark—

Three pointed lights that rush,

Monstrous, upon the cringing dark.

And nearer, nearer rolls the sound,

Louder the throb and roar of wheels,

The shout of speed, the shriek of steam;

The sloping bank,

Cut into flashing squares, gives back the clank 119